Oxford Pride slams Oxford University ban on trans women rowing

Transgender women have now been banned from competing in the women’s category at Oxford University’s rowing team.

The university has changed its policy in line with the governing body’s which states a transgender women cannot compete on women’s teams.

A spokesperson for Oxford Pride said: “There has been no actual change in legislation when it comes to inclusion of trans people in sports, or any other aspect of life for that matter,

“All the ruling did is to specify whether trans women could benefit from quotas to be appointed to public boards in Scotland.

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Oxford Pride 2024 (Image: Ed Nix)

“Anything else is beyond the scope of the ruling and simply based on informal and not legally binding guidance.”

Many critics have pointed out the irony of this move considering the pioneer of Oxford’s female rowing uniforms, from skirts to more practical shorts, was a transgender athlete.

Michael Dillon was instrumental in modernising Oxford University’s female rowing uniform in the 1930s, before then going on to become the first person in the world to undergo female to male medical transition, eventually becoming a doctor.

British Rowing policy also says that transgender and non-binary people are eligible to compete in an ‘open’ category of both genders.

British Rowing previously let trans women participate in female events if their testosterone level was below a certain level for two years.

A university spokeswoman said: “The University of Oxford remains committed to being an inclusive university, where everyone is treated with respect, courtesy and consideration.

“This is necessary to comply with UK law, as well as to ensure alignment with competition frameworks.

“The university has met with and engaged with students several times throughout the process, and will continue to engage with them to facilitate boat clubs meeting their obligations in relation to law and governing body requirements.”

The spokesperson for Oxford Pride continued: “Exclusion of trans people is a choice, not a legal obligation.

“Whereas the protection against discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment is indeed an obligation under the Equality Act 2010.

“Oxford Pride urges all public and private groups, organisations and institutions in the UK to continue to include trans people; at least until an actual new piece of legislation (not just guidance) says otherwise.”

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File image of Oxford rowing (Image: Sportsbeat)

The Supreme Court ruled last year the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.

This means, as the equalities watchdog stated, a gender recognition certificate does not change a person’s legal sex for the purposes of the Equality Act.

The ruling has been interpreted to mean that trans women can be excluded from women-only spaces like toilets and changing rooms.